


Feathers and Ink

by VioletReaper



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alice Angel is Scary, Bendy is Such a Troll, Boris is helpful, Characters Get Sucked into the Game, Ciel Phantomhive is a Brat, Grell Sutcliff is Scared, Lots of BATIM songs!, Multi, Original Female Character Has Been Stuck in the Game For Who Knows How Long, Sebby's Scared of Alice, William T. Spears is Not a Happy Camper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-04-22 01:56:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14298231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletReaper/pseuds/VioletReaper
Summary: Ciel Phantomhive received a mysterious gift one day from an anonymous sender. Upon inspection, it's a laptop with but one game: Bendy and the Ink Machine. After figuring out how the computer works, he and Sebastian decide that it might make for an interesting distraction.They should've thrown it out when they had the chance.Jacky has been wandering the studio for who knows how long. Could be a couple minutes, could be a couple years. All she knows is she wants to go home and never see another damn can of bacon soup - or anything related to bacon - ever again.She also can't get the songs out of her head, so she's going to sing them forever!Grell should've just left the computer alone when he came looking for Sebby. William should've left it alone when he came looking for Grell.





	1. Moving Pictures

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Kuroshitsuji or BATIM, or any of the songs I am using. I only

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beware anonymous senders and mysterious laptops!
> 
> Oh, and letters from people who you've never heard of but claim to be your best pals. Beware those, too!

_(Victorian London, 1888)_

Ciel Phantomhive sat at his desk, bored half to death. He'd gotten all his work done, his lessons were over for the day, and he had no tasks from the Queen at present.  _I suppose I could always read something,_ he thought to himself. reading was a favored hobby of his, after all. One could travel the world, go where humans ordinarily couldn't go, and see and do things that one could only dream of when reading, and all without ever leaving the comfort of home. And his personal library not only had a wide selection to choose from, it was comfortably furnished and always a pleasant temperature, be it Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall. It was the perfect thing to cure his boredom! He left his study for his library... only for nothing to interest him once he got there! He had thousands of books, both by famous and little-known authors. However, nothing seemed to appeal to him today. Not Poe, not Shakespeare, not anything!

Was he just in a do-nothing mood, now that he'd accomplished all his tasks for the day and it wasn't even noon? He was fairly certain that wasn't the case, as he was not starting to feel restless. He needed something to do, and just about anything would do at the moment as long as it was something new.

As if on cue, Sebastian knocked on the door and poked his head in. "Pardon me, Young Master," he said politely before noticing his master's mood. "there's something that requires your- Is something wrong, Master?"

"I'm  _bored!_ " the evil nobleman replied, visibly irked and looking like he was ready to throw something just to do something. "I've finished all my work for the day, I've completed my lessons, and the Queen hasn't required my service all week! On top of that, I came in here to read, but nothing is catching my eye today! If I don't find something to do to ease my boredom, I'm going to scream!"

"Well, then," Sebastian said, blinking at his master's near-tantrum. "I may have the answer to that, my Lord. Something has arrived for you, and I believe your personal attention is required."

"Oh?" Ciel looked slightly confused and very suspicious, as anyone rightly would be. "Who sent it?"

"I'm not sure, my lord," Sebastian replied, equally suspicious of the mystery gift. "There was no messenger boy waiting to be paid for delivering it, not name saying who sent it and no return address. There wasn't even a scent on it for me to track down the sender with. All I know is it doesn't seem to be dangerous or poisoned."

This only increased Ciel's misgivings. If even Sebastian couldn't identify the sender, it could very well be some type of trap. However, now he was curious. He was more than curious, he was intrigued. And most importantly, he wasn't bored anymore. "Very well," he decided, thanking whatever had sent him this random gift for the distraction. "Let's see what it is, then."

"Yes, my Lord," the demon agreed, leading him back to the study where he'd left the package. Ciel carefully unwrapped the brown packaging paper, revealing a beige machine of some sort that had a black logo that resembled the silhouette of a cat's head with a large letter  **B** in the middle. There were hinges on one side, and a latch on the other that held it shut. At first glance, it looked like some kind of diary. The young earl opened it up and was greeted with a few dozen buttons with letters or symbols on them, and a dark piece of somewhat pliant material. After pressing random buttons, he found the power button and it turned on, reminding him of a larger version of the GameGuy consoles his company sold, but with alphabet keys. as the screen lit up, it displayed a single app. Using the built-in mouse-pad to hover the cruiser over it, the title  _"Bendy and the Ink Machine"_ appeared next to it to identify it.

"Have you ever heard of this game, Sebastian?" Ciel asked, curious about the little cartoon devil on the app's icon.  
"Never, my Lord," the demon replied, looking mystified yet interested. Human technology never ceased to appeal to him, always surprising him with how quickly they were evolving. He didn't sense anything out of the ordinary, so it seemed safe enough.

Taking his demon's silence for a go-ahead, the young earl clicked on the icon. After a moment, the game opened up to the Let's Play screen, showing the title of the game, and three chapters to choose from:  _Moving Pictures, The Old Song,_ and  _Rise and Fall._ A moment later, it updated, and suddenly chapter 4,  _Colossal Wonders_  was available to play. "Where should we start?" he asked the raven-haired demon.

"Well, it is always best to start at the beginning, Young Master," the raven suggested, and with a shrug, Ciel clicked on Chapter One.

 

That was a mistake.

A letter appeared on the screen:

_"Dear Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis,_

_It feels like a lifetime since we worked on cartoons together. The years really slip away, don't they?_

_If you're back in town, why don't you swing by the old workshop? I've got something to show you._

_Your best pal,_

_Joey Drew."_

 

Inky webbing bled from the screen faster than even Sebastian could react and enveloped them in its dark tendrils. Ciel's eyes widened in horror while Sebastian's widened with urgency. "What the Hell is this?!" the boy demanded, clinging to his butler for protection.  
"I do not know!" Sebastian replied, trying to break them both free of the inky stuff, only for them both to be dragged into the contraption despite his struggling. With Ciel's terrified scream ringing in his ears, he held his young master in a protective embrace. If whatever was waiting for them on the other side wanted to harm the child, it would have to get through  _him_ first.

* * *

Jacky was hacking at a Searcher in the Music Department of Joey Drew Studios, her eyes cold and her body language uncaring. How long had she been doing this? Traversing this abysmal studio, killing endless Searchers and Butcher Gang members with her only breaks coming when she had to hide from the Ink Demon. She hated this place by now, but she was used to it. She could no longer say how long she'd been there, playing the same game over and over, fighting with just enough effort to smash her enemies into puddles and keep from getting herself hurt, lest she joined them in their wretched, inky existence.

There had been others with her, and at first, the sight of fellow humans was a relief from her loneliness and boredom. Now, she detested it when someone else was sucked in to join her in this hell. While she was an expert fighter and had come to know the entire layout of the studio up to the end of chapter 3 by heart at this point, that didn't mean those who joined her were as well. Too many times she'd seen them killed by Searchers, the Ink Demon, the Butcher Gang, the Projectionist, or Alice herself. While dying in a normal game would just reset the story, if you died here, you became one of the monsters what she'd have to kill. Knowing that she'd end up killing them was hard enough. She couldn't bring herself to think of the families they'd be leaving behind.

Maybe it was a good thing she didn't have a family waiting for her in the real world. That way there was no one to worry about her absence. It was a small comfort.

But really, what she hated the most about this hellhole was the never-ending supply of bacon soup. When she'd first begun playing, it had been a novelty. Nothing more than something to help keep her going. Now...

She would probably kill for a 4-cheese pizza.

Oh, who was she kidding? She would gladly kill for anything that had nothing to do with bacon soup!! She had an ax, after all! She knew how to use it, too! She needed something, anything, that wasn't more fucking bacon soup!!

Aside from that, she just wanted to go home, go to sleep, and not have to worry about being on guard as soon as she woke up. That'd be nice.

 

Almost as soon as she'd wiped out another swarm of Searchers, she was suddenly sucked back to the beginning of the game.  _Oh, great, who am I stuck defending this time?_ she wondered. What was this, the 459th time since she'd played the game since the release of the first chapter? How many more people did she have to watch die before she could escape or be killed as well?!

When she found herself back in Chapter 1 in the entry hall, she found a man and a young teenager on the floor, looking around in confusion. The man had black hair that framed his face nicely, red eyes and fair skin. His face was androgynous, incredibly beautiful, and he was dressed in a butler's uniform. The boy looked to be about 12 or 13, with slate-blue hair, a large, beautiful blue eye - the other was hidden behind an eye-patch and equally fair-skinned. He was dressed in Victorian Era clothing that looked like it belonged to a noble.

Either they were professional cosplayers or she was looking at two of her favorite characters from the Black Butler anime.

* * *

When Ciel opened his eye not hidden by the eye patch, he found himself in a hallway with Sebastian holding him protectively. The area was mostly beige with several posters on the walls. And right in front of him was a tall young woman with long golden-brown curls, blue eyes, and a strange ensemble. Her shirt was made of a stretchy, close-fitting white cotton, her shoes were of a design he'd never seen before, and most scandalous of all, she was wearing trousers! He couldn't tell if they were black, or deeply stained with ink like her hands seemed to be. She had her head tilted to one side and one hand on her hips. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Name's Jacky Anderson," she said, and her voice held a distinctly American accent. "Would I be right in guessing you're Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his butler Sebastian Michaelis?"

"How do you know our names?" Sebastian asked though it was clearly a demand.

Instead of a verbal answer, she pulled a book out of thin air and handed it to them. It had Sebastian's face on it. "You two are the stars of a popular anime and manga series in my dimension," she explained as they leafed through it. "I don't know how that damn laptop got to your dimension, let alone to your era, but at least you've got a better chance of surviving this hellhole than the others did."

"...Others?" Ciel asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. Ever since the first chapter of the game, anyone who opens up that damned laptop and decided to play the game gets sucked in here whether they want to be or not," the girl explained. "The only way out is to play the game all the way to the end. There's a total of five chapters, and only three up so far."

"Actually, the fourth one is up now," Sebastian corrected.

"Oh, finally!" the girl said, briefly happy, before becoming serious again. "Anyway, I've seen hundreds of people of all ages get sucked into this game, and all of them ended up becoming inky monsters! The only reason I'm still alive is that I'm used to crazy and scary shit happening to me! I killed a demon who wanted to turn the entire multiverse Topsy-turvy when I was 17!"

Sebastian seemed to flinch back at that. "I'm not going to kill you. Ciel needs you to protect him from this place and get him his revenge once you get out of here," the girl said, putting his mind at ease. "Now c'mon. The only way to get out of this game is to play it to the end."

"But... the game isn't finished," Ciel stated.

"Yeah. When you finish what there is so far, you automatically get sent back to the beginning," the girl said, and the young earl finally took in the dark shadows under her eyes. She looked exhausted, but there was determination to survive in her eyes. How long had she been here, fighting inky monsters? Was there even anything to eat?"

"Sebastian, this is an order," he finally said. "Help Jacky win this game so we can all go home."

Sebastian bowed to his master. "Yes, my Lord." Then he turned to the girl. "What is it we need to do first to get this survival game underway?"

"First we need to find the Ink Machine," Jacky said, looking somewhat relieved to have their assistance. "I've played Chapter one hundreds of times since getting sucked into this madness, so I know exactly where it is. Follow me."

With that, she turned and led them into the studio.

As they walked, Ciel fell into step with her. "So, what exactly is the objective of this game?" he asked as they passed a wall with the words  **DREAMS COME TRUE** painted on it in ink.

"Well, it starts with a letter from some guy named Joey Drew," the girl explained. "He asks you to drop by this place because he has something to show you. Once you arrive in the game, you have to find and turn on the ink machine, or the game can't progress forward. And you have to do things in a certain order or it doesn't work. First, we locate the Ink Machine. Oh, look! We're here!"

Before them in the room they'd entered was a massive machine with a large spout, apparently for mass-producing ink. "So this is the Ink Machine?" Sebastian asked. "How does one turn it on?"

"Follow me," Jacky said again, leading them away from it.

"But we have to turn it on!" Ciel protested, going after her.

"The switch to turn it on isn't in the same room," Jacky clarified.

Ciel groaned in frustration. Why wouldn't the switch that turned it on be in the same room? That seemed like a serious design flaw!

* * *

_(meanwhile, at Phantomhive Manor...)_

"Oh~, Bassy!" Grell called out, barging into Ciel's study unannounced, per usual. "Where are you, my dark prince?"  He looked around, but there was no one in the room. "Well, that's odd," the red reaper mused aloud. "I've searched this entire place top to bottom, as well as the townhouse, and Undertaker hasn't seen them or heard from them, so where could they be?" Just then, a strange glow caught his eye. "Oh? Hello, what's this?"

He moved to the desk to find the laptop and stared curiously at the screen. "'Bendy and the Ink Machine?'" he read the title of the game. "Now what could this be? It looks like the brat was just getting ready to play this strange-looking game and left suddenly, but why?"

Out of sheer curiosity, he clicked on Chapter One.

A yellowed letter appeared on screen:

_"Dear Grell,_

_It feels like a lifetime since we worked on cartoons together. 30 years really slips away, doesn't it?_

_If you're back in town, why not swing by the old workshop? I've got something to show you._

_Your best pal, Joey Drew."_

 

The same Inky webbing bled from the screen, and the now confused and frightened reaper tried to fend them off, but to no avail. Not even his beautiful death-scythe could cut through the stuff! What the hell was it made of?!

The next thing he knew, he was sitting on his butt in an ink-stained hallway before a tall young lady with ink-stained hands and boots, the brat, and- "BASSY!!" he exclaimed joyously, throwing himself at the demon. As usual, Sebastian dodged, and Grell face-planted into a wall.

The girl with golden-brown curls sighed tiredly. "Well, at least it's not someone helpless," she said, sounding tired and slightly annoyed. "Grell Sutcliff, what were you even doing at Phantomhive Manor? Was someone scheduled to die or something, or did you just want to see Sebastian?"

"The second one, but how do you know my name?" Grell asked, his fingers tightening on his chainsaw. "Or that I'm a reaper?"

"Long story." She handed him a book with Sebastian's face on it. "That's the one that introduces your character. Give it a read and help us get through this game."

"... Can I hold onto Bassy's arm?"

"Only if he's fine with that, otherwise, I don't care." Jacky dismissed. Grell threw himself at the handsome demon and was once again rejected. Grell pouted but didn't want to be left alone in this creepy place, so he followed along. He quickly fell into step with the young woman, as she seemed to know what she was doing.

"Look, I honestly don't know what I'm doing here," he said nervously. "This place looks creepy and reeks of ink, so please help a lady out and tell me what's going on here?"

"Long story short, the laptop sucks you into the game after showing you a letter from some guy named Joey Drew," the girl explained. "Then you gotta start up the Ink Machine, get jump-scared by a demon, fall two stories through the floor, fight ink-monsters called Searchers and the Butcher Gang, do a crazy angel's bidding, fall down an elevator shaft, and that's when chapter 4 begins. That's new territory, so I have no idea what happens in that one."

"I caught a glimpse of the title of the fourth chapter," Grell said. "It's called 'Colossal Wonders.'"

 

"Interesting," the girl said. "Wonder what that could mean..."

"No idea," Grell replied. "I didn't get your name, though."

"Jacky Anderson," the girl said, offering a hand-shake which he returned. "Veteran BATIM survivor. I've played chapters 1-3 hundreds of times, so I know this place better than the back of my hand. There's no real danger in this chapter, but once we get to Chapter 2, be ready to use that death-scythe."

"Right!" the reaper said with an eager nod.

"Alright, everyone, back to searching for those relics!" After showing Grell the Ink Machine and the break room, he began looking with Ciel and Sebastian for a book, a record, a Bendy plush, a wrench, an inkwell, and a gear. Sebastian had just found the final item, the Bendy plush, and plucked it down from the shelf it was on, then the four of them were all pulled back to the entryway. And who was standing there but one William T. Spears.

* * *

William, predictably, was looking for Grell.

He'd tracked him down to the Phantomhive Manor, and when he'd found a lock of Grell's long red hair next to the laptop, he'd clicked on chapter 1 out of curiosity.

A letter to him appeared on the screen:

_"Dear William,_

_It feels like a lifetime since we worked on cartoons together. 30 years really slips away, doesn't it?"_

_If you're back in town, why not swing by the old workshop? There's something I want to show you._

_Your best pal, Joey Drew."_

"I don't know a Joey Drew..."

 

That was the last thing he said before being pulled into the game.

 

When the inky webbing let him go, he found himself in an ink-stained hallway, with Grell, the Michaelis demon, the Phantomhive lad, and a girl he'd never seen before staring at him. Grell, predictably, looked happy to see him. The filthy demon looked annoyed, the boy looked even more annoyed, and the girl looked bored. No, tired was a better word.

"Will someone kindly explain what just happened?" he demanded sternly.

"You've been sucked into the first Chapter of Bendy and the Ink Machine, Mr. Spears," the girl explained. "Name's Jacky Anderson, a veteran survivor of this place. The only way to get out of here is to play the game all the way to the end of Chapter 5. Said chapter is not up and running yet. If you die in this game, you don't get to go home. Ever. You die here, you die for real. There is no true danger in Chapter 1, just a jump-scare and an ink-flood followed by falling 2 stories down just before you reach the exit. Chapter 2 is when the danger begins. Be ready to defend yourself. Right now, we have to start up the Ink Machine so the game can progress. I'll show you the Machine. Sebastian, Ciel, Grell, please locate the relics again. They will not be in the same place as last time."

"Yes, Miss Jacky," Sebastian said with a polite bow while Ciel nodded.  
"Right!" Grell said enthusiastically before they all hurried off.

"Alright, if you'll follow me, please," the young lady said with a polite bow. "And as someone who's been stuck in this place for far too long, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"Apology accepted," William said, straightening his glasses out of habit. "Now, what is this Ink Machine?"

* * *

Ciel found the wrench. The fact it was in a cartoon wolf's stomach had nearly sent him into an asthma attack because of how horrified he was. Luckily, Sebastian sensed his distress and came to his side and was able to soothe him. He removed the wrench from the dog's chest cavity, then led his master out of the room. Grell found the record and gear. William found the book, and Jacky found the Bendy plush and the Inkwell. "Alright, everyone, back to the break room!" Jacky shouted once she grabbed the last one. After a couple minutes, they were all gathered in the break room, placing the relics on the pedestals. "Okay, now we need to regulate the ink flow before we can get this thing up and running."

"I saw something that may have to do with that in the screening room," Will piped up.

"Go take care of that, then meet us all at the entrance to the Ink Machine room," the girl instructed. Will nodded and dashed off. Moments later, Jacky was able to pull the switch. "Okay, let's go!" They all ran to the Ink Machine room, only to find it boarded up.

"Odd," Sebastian commented as Will caught up with them. "It wasn't like this before."

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Grell pouted as ink began to flood the hallway.

"I got this," Jacky said, walking right up to the barricade. When she was just a few feet away, an inky black creature with ink dripping down its grinning face lunged at her, its claws mere centimeters from her face. "Hi, Bendy!" she said cheerfully, then span around. "Run for the exit!"

They did as she told them, Sebastian having to carry his young master as the ink was too deep for him. If it was up to the raven's waist, it was up to the boy's chest! They were maybe a meter away from the exit when they all heard the sound of the rotting floorboards under their feet splintering and breaking, sending them all falling 20 feet down.

Sebastian landed in a cool crouching pose, holding his master protectively. William landed on his feet and adjusted his glasses again. Jacky dropped into an equally cool crouch, but Grell comically landed on his face. The room quickly began to flood up to their knees, with Grell making disgusted sounds at how cold and gross it was.

"Ugh! Disgusting!" the redhead complained. "What do we do now?!"

"See that cassette player over on that shelf?" Jacky said, pointing to it. "Press play."

Hesitantly, the reaper did as he was told.

 _"It's dark and it's cold, and it's stuck in behind every single wall now,"_ Thomas Connor said.  _"In some places, I swear this godforsaken ink is clear up to my knees! Whoever thought these crumby pipes could hold up under this kind of strain either knows something about pressure I don't, or he's some kind of idiot!_

_But the real worst part about all this are the noises the system makes. Like a dying dog on its last legs. Make no mistake, this place... this... machine... heck, this whole darn thing... it just isn't natural._

_You can bet I won't be doing any more repair jobs for Mister Joey Drew."_

"Okay, time to drain the flood," Jacky said, wading down through the ink to a pipe with a valve on it. "There's a few of these things, so just keep your eyes peeled." With some effort she turned the wheel, and the ink began to drain away, revealing stairs and a hallway. As they went about draining the ink, the brunette girl found a fire ax and started hacking through the boards that got in their way.

"Okay, just a heads-up," she said as the neared another room. "This room is where Chapter 1 ends. Soon as one of us steps in that pentagram, we all pass out and wake up in Chapter 2."

"Will we still be in the same room?" Grell asked.

"Yeah, but keep in mind, that's when the danger starts up."

Once everyone was in understanding, Jacky stepped into the pentagram. At once, they were all hit with images of the Ink Machine, a wheelchair, and the Ink Demon before they all lost consciousness.

**(End Chapter)**


	2. The Old Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After falling through the floor of the old studio, stepping in a pentagram, and a several month hiatus, Jacky now leads the men of Kuroshitsuji through Chapter 2 of Bendy and the Ink Machine.
> 
> What's more, it appears the NPC's are getting more aggressive than usual. Good thing everyone is armed!

"Ugh... Oh, my head..." William groaned as the world came back into focus, the edges of his vision oddly ink-stained. "What happened?"

"Chapter 2's transition style," a feminine voice groaned as his vision cleared, allowing him to sit up. "It's just as unpleasant as the last few hundred times."

Ah, now he remembered. The laptop, the letter, the Ink Demon. And most importantly, the human girl. Jacky Anderson. Looking around, he saw the cursed Michaelis demon helping both his master and the young lady to their feet, then the young lady prodding Sutcliff with the toe of her boot to try and wake him. When that didn't work, she simply rolled her eyes, knelt down, and screamed "GRELL, SEBBY AND WILLIAM ARE FIGHTING TO SEE WHO GETS TO MARRY YOU!" in the unconscious reaper's ear.

At once Grell was awake, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as the saying goes. Thankfully, he seemed to remember what had happened previously and that Jacky's shouting was just a poly to get him to wake up. "Alright, I'm up," he pouted, a bit hurt that she'd used his greatest hope against him. "What do we do now, O Great BATIM Expert?"

"There's only one thing we can do," Jacky replied, picking up her ax and resting it on her shoulder. "Press on. Try to find the way out." She stepped out of the pentagram and headed over to a boarded up door and began hacking at the planks. The two quick chops proved that she'd done this before and knew how to get things done efficiently. The door opened with a creak, and they made their way down a short flight of stairs, only for a beam to suddenly fall in front of them. Grell and Ciel flinched, but Jacky just kept going.

At the bottom of the stairs, there was an altar of sorts, decorated with candles, a bowl of... something, a banjo, and several cans of bacon soup. On the wall, the words " **HE WILL SET US FREE** " were scrawled in black ink. Curious, Ciel picked up one of the cans. "'Bacon Soup, Just the way the Little Devil Likes it! Eat With Fork.'" he read out loud. "And the expiration date is... 27/06/1949." He looked up at Jacky. "What year was it when you first came here?"

"2017."

In disgust, Ciel threw the can as far away from himself as he could.

"And it's the  _only thing to eat in here._ " Jacky explained. "There's always more cans of it. Always. And... I... hate it. I'd give anything except my soul and my virginity to eat something other than bacon soup!"

Michaelis simply chuckled, probably glad that he did not require human sustenance. A few steps away was a secondary shrine, which held an audio tape. out of curiosity, Grell pressed the play button.

 _"He appears from the shadows to rain his sweet blessings upon me,"_ the voice of the delusional Sammy Lawrence said for the nth time, and for the nth time, Jacky rolled her eyes and sneered.  _"The figure of ink that shines in the darkness. I see you, my savior. I pray you hear me._

_Those old songs, I still sing them. For I know that you are coming to save me. And I will be swept into your final loving embrace._

_But, love requires sacrifice. Can I get an amen?"_

". . ." was the collective response.

"I said, 'Can I get an amen?'"

_BLAM!_

Jacky raised an eyebrow, a look of amused respect on her face as Ciel had swiftly aimed his pistol in the direction of Sammy's voice and fired. But of course, there was no one there. There never was. "Who the bloody hell was that?!" the young earl demanded.

"That, Ciel, was Sammy Lawrence," she explained. "He was the music director here, back in the day, according to the story. At some point, he lost his mind and started worshiping Bendy the way one might worship a god." She paused for a moment. "Sammy's been getting weird these last few runs. I think after all these runs, the NPC's are starting to remember me."

"NPC's?" William asked.

"Non-Player-Characters," Jacky clarified. "They're supposed to be the constant in the game. Either friends or enemies. They aren't supposed to remember when there's a reset, but in certain games there are at least one who does. Up until my 300th run, they didn't remember me. Afterword, they started remembering. It was little things at first. Things I said to them, my appearance, the way I treated them. But as of the last five runs before any of you got here, Bendy... the Ink Demon started acting... different. He seemed less interested in tearing me limb from limb and more interested in following me. The last run before you guys arrived, he made an ink-rose for me." She paused, then added with a chuckle, "I don't know if I should be flattered or afraid for my life."

"Considering it's a filthy demon we are talking about, I would say the latter would be the sane route." William said, earning a chuckle.

"Who ever said I was sane, Mr. Spears?" Jacky replied with a smile, then continued to lead the way. A few twists and turns, and you reached a hallway flooded with ink. "We'll have to wade through to get to the other side," you said. Sebastian was quick to pick Ciel up, and Grell started complaining that his outfit would be ruined.  
  
"It's already stained from the last time we had to wade through ink, Grell," you reminded him. "A little more ink won't hurt. C'mon. The sooner we get across, the sooner we can get to the next puzzle." Grell continued to whine and complain as the five of you waded through the cold ink. The thick, black liquid had the consistancy of molassis and slowed everyone's steps, even Sebastian's.

"There is dark magic in this place," Sebastian growled, holding his master more securely. "It's everywhere. In the building, in the ink. It's tainting everything."

"Hopefully it'll come out as soon as we get to the end of Chapter 5," the young woman said, though she'd figured that out ages ago.

When they were half-way down the hall, a man covered in ink and wearing naught but overalls and a Bendy mask and carrying a cardboard Bendy cutout walked past the exit. He was muttering something, something only Sebastian could hear.  _"Rest your head, it's time for bed."_ "Was that Mr. Lawrence?" he asked.

"Yep, c'mon." Jacky replied, and thy redoubled their efforts to get out of the ink. Once they got to the end of the hallway, they all looked in the direction Sammy had gone, only to find a dead end.

"Where the hell did he go?" Grell demanded, clearly confused as he stared at the pentagram with the Bendy cutout in it.

"Not sure, but watch this," Jacky said, before chopping up the cutout. "Now follow me." She led the group to a gate with three lights next to it. "We need to get power to this gate," she explained. "There are three switches. One on this side of the ink, two on the other. Once all three are flipped, we can get it open." You were quick to locate the first switch, pointing out that the cutout was in one piece again, and Sebastian, who had been paying very close attention to his surroundings, quickly went back through the ink to flip the other two.

"The second and third switches have been flipped, Miss Jacky," he said with a polite bow when he was done.

"Thank you, Sebastian," the blond said with a polite nod. Always be polite to the demon. That's how you stay alive. You threw the main switch, and the gate rattled open, a sign it hadn't been used in a long time, even if you'd opened it earlier that very day. An unholy groan of pain followed the rattling, putting everyone on edge. "Alright, have your weapons ready," you instructed, gripping your ax more firmly. "This is the part where things get dangerous. Keep your guard up. Don't let the Searchers hit you more than four times in a row, or you'll join their ranks."

The reapers, demon, and human all nodded in understanding, brandishing their respective weapons. You turned to the planks that blocked the end of the hallway, then led the way into the dark room beyond.

"It's really dark in here," Ciel observed.

The girl nodded, walking further into the room. "This was the music department, where they wrote and recorded the songs and music scores for the cartoons. This is also Sammy's domain, so we have to be careful." She explained. She walked up to the audio log on the billboard and pressed play.

 _"So first, Joey installs this Ink Machine over our heads,"_ Sammy's voice said, sounding much more sane than he had in the previous recording.  _"Then it begins to leak. Three times last month, we couldn't even get out of our department because the ink had flooded the stairwell._

_Joey's solution? An ink pump to drain it periodically. Now I have this ugly pump switch right in my office. People in and out all day._

_Thanks, Joey. Just what I needed. More distractions. These stupid cartoon songs don't write themselves, you know."_

"There's a light switch by the stairwell," you said. "But as soon as the lights are on, the Searchers will attack. Be ready." The males nodded, moving away from the suspicious-looking puddles of ink. Ciel cocked his rifle, Sebastian held 10 knives at the ready, William gripped his pruner, and Grell revved his chainsaw. "3.." Jacky walked backwards to the light switch. "2..." she gripped the switch. "1." The lights came on, and a swarm of Searchers burst forth from the ink. Shots were fired, knives were thrown, the pruner struck, and the chainsaw slashed. With two vicious hacks of her ax, the last Searcher was smashed into a puddle.

An almost mocking tune began to play as a gate rattled open. "Alright, let's continue." Jacky said, resting the ax on your shoulder. You led them to the right, up a staircase to the projection booth. "Okay, someone's gonna have to stay up here and turn on the projector when I give the word," she said. "It's the least dangerous task. Any volunteers?"

"If it isn't dangerous, I'll do it," Ciel volunteered. "What all must I do?"

"Just wait here and turn on the projector when I give the word from down in the orchestra pit," she explained. "But as soon as you turn it on, get down to the orchestra pit quick as you can. I don't know if Sammy's seen you yet, but if you stay up here after we've entered his hidden sanctuary he certainly will. I don't know what he'll do when he realizes there's more than just me this time, but I want you and your demon to make it out alive if no one else."

Ciel nodded in understanding, and Sebastian remained with him as Jacky led Grell and William back down and further into the music department. "So, what exactly do we do now?" Grell asked.  
  
"We gotta drain the ink in the stairwell," Jacky explained. "The ink flow has to be regulated with the help of two valves before the switch in Sammy's office will be of any use to us. One of which is in Sammy's sanctuary, near the orchestra pit. But to get in there, we have to get the musical key to open it. Problem is, that changes with every reset. To get the key, we have to find the audio log in Wally Frank's supply closet, but first we have to find his eyes. So start checking the trash bins. They're never in the same one twice."

It didn't take long to find the keys with three people searching for them. They quickly eliminated any Searcher they came across, and once they had the four notes needed to open the sanctuary, they returned to the orchestra pit. "Banjo, drum, piano, base. Banjo, drum, piano, base," William repeated. "Alright, Ciel, turn it on!" Jacky called up. A moment later, the projector turned on. You got the banjo and drum, Grell got the piano, and William got the base fiddle. The projector clicked off, and the entrance to the sanctuary rattled open. Sebastian brought Ciel back down to the orchestra pit quickly as you entered the sanctuary to turn the valve. As "Be ready to fight," you called back as a Bendy cutout popped up. No sooner had you left the sanctuary was your group attacked by more Searchers. Between the five of you, it was a short battle.

"Now to find the second valve," you said.

After smashing a Searcher with a hardhat and taking back the missing valve, Jacky led them all back to the music department. She held up a hand to warn them to stop before they could head for the stairwell. "Just beyond here, Sammy attacks," she said. "One of us is gonna get taken hostage. I've been hit on the head by Sammy's dust-tray so many times I've lost count, so one of you is gonna have to be it this time."

This resulted in William, Grell, and Sebastian playing rock-paper-scissors, with Grell losing. "Ugh, fine," he groaned before heading for the stairs. He took a few steps while you held the others back, and out of nowhere Sammy struck Grell on the back of the head.

Grell fell almost instantly, landing hard on his side. "Rest your head, it's time for bed." Sammy said before Grell blacked out.

"What do we do now?" Ciel asked.

"Now we follow, watch, and wait." Jacky said quietly, leading them to follow Sammy. She saw the Prophet drag Grell behind a gate and held up a hand to signal them to stop.

"There we go now, nice and tight," Sammy was saying. "We wouldn't want our sheep roaming away now, would we? No, we wouldn't." So Grell was already tied up. "I must admit, I am... honored you came all the way down here to visit me. It almost makes what I'm about to do seem... cruel." There was a pause, and you knew Sammy had turned away from Grell to set down the chainsaw. "But the believers must honor their savior. I must have him notice me. Wait. You look familiar to me... that face... Not now. For my lord is calling to us, my little sheep. The time of sacrifice is at hand!"

"Sacrifice?" Ciel whispered, horrified, as Sammy continued his monologue.

"He wants to offer Grell to Bendy and believes that he will be freed from this place in return," the blond replied. "He'll fail. He always does."

"-dark... abyss I call a body." Sammy continued as the floor above them began to creak and rumble. "Shhhhh... Quiet! Listen! I can hear him. Crawling above. Crawling! Let us begin. The ritual must be completed! Soon he will hear me... he will set us free."

You heard footsteps leading to a side door, ropes straining. Then the intercom whined. "Sheep, sheep, sheep, it's time for sleep," Sammy's voice filled the air. Jacky nodded, and Sebastian broke the gate down. "Rest your head. It's time for bed. In the morning you may wake. Or in the morning, you'll be dead." The four of you burst into the room, all feeling the growing danger as Sammy continued to address the Ink Demon and Grell strained at his bonds.

"It's about time you got here!" the crimson reaper complained. "Get me out of this! I don't want to be a sacrificial lamb!"

"Oh do shut up," the only female in the group said, flicking a finger at the ropes that bound him. Blue chaos magic sliced through the ropes but left Grell unharmed. "Be ready," she said, handing him his beloved death scythe. "We're about to be attacked by Searchers."

"No! My lord!" Sammy yelled in panic as a feral growl filled the air. "Stay back! I am your prophet! I am your- AAAHHH!!"

As soon as Sammy's scream filled the air, the puddles of ink came to life. "Back to the Ink with you!" Jacky yelled, smashing a Searcher to puddles. The five of them quickly reduced them to nothingness and you led them without hesitation back through the gate, chopping at boards that blocked your path until the blade broke off. When she reached the fork in the path, she instantly turned to the left, not wanting to deal with the Ink Demon right now. "This way!" she said, hearing them follow her.

"What's in the other room?" Ciel asked.

The ink that suddenly wedded the walls and floor spurred you on to run faster. "The Ink Demon! Run!" Jacky left no room for argument as she led them to the safehouse. She hated how this place was a maze of corridors. Whoever designed this place needed to be shot. Twice. Finally she spotted the door. "In there! Quickly!" She quickly ushered them in, glaring as she caught sight of the Ink Demon. As soon as William, who had been bringing up the rear, was inside, Jacky slammed the door shut. Not a moment too soon either, as the sound of Bendy's fists pounding on the other side made them all take a step back.

 ** _"LET ME IN, JACKY!"_**   Bendy's rough voice demanded, but soon enough he moved along.

You sank to your knees, exhausted from the constant battle your life had become. "You were not kidding when you said Bendy recognizes you," Sebastian said.

"Nope," you said, popping the 'p' as you stood up. "C'mon, this chapter's almost over. Then we can rest for a little while." She tiredly walked over to the next door, grabbing a can of bacon soup and chugging it all in one go. When the were all halfway into the next room, another can of bacon soup rolled across the floor. "I know it's you buddy," you said warmly. "C'mon out and show yourself."

And like so many times before, the big black wolf-dog sauntered into the room, that wonderful dopey smile on his face. "Hi, Boris."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry I took so long to post this! ACK! I have been sucked from one fandom to another over the course of the last several months, as well as working on an Avengers fanfic with Nekoamamori, and that's not even going into all the crap that's been going on in my personal life. This chapter is so long overdue, please forgive me for not posting it sooner.  
> Well, I'm off to work on the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3: Rise and Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jacky always hated this part of the game. Being an errand girl was demeaning and annoying. Maybe the guys can help her out?
> 
> She should still watch her back, though. Bendy's still roaming around. And he doesn't like having another demon in his territory.

Sebastian sat against a wall in the sleeping area, his master asleep in his arms. The cartoon mutt, whom Miss Jacky had referred to as "Boris", had permitted them all a night's rest in his room while he slept on a wooden chair in the kitchen. There was only one cot and a hammock, so Miss Jacky was given the hammock and Grell and William were sharing the cot. He, of course, did not require sleep, as it was merely a luxury to his kind. Thus, he observed the young lady who was guiding them on this journey through Joey Drew Studios.

She was a pretty thing, who would've looked lovely in a fine Victorian dress. However he suspected that she was not the kind of girl who would put up with being squeezed into a corset every day or sit still and look pretty as women of his young master's era were expected to. No, this girl was too boyish for such trivial and useless things. The loose-fitting trousers, off-shoulder shirt, and heavy boots were proof enough of that.

He also noticed the dark shadows under her eyes, how exhausted she looked even now that she was fast asleep. Her skin was as pale as his own now, probably due to a lack of sunlight and only having bacon soup to eat. He was amazed she hadn't wasted away by now. Indeed, despite the shadows under her eyes she was in fine shape. No doubt the constant fighting kept her in perfect fighting condition.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she mumbled sleepily before blinking her eyes open. "How long have you been staring, raven?"

"Only long enough to contemplate what kind of person you are," Sebastian replied. "And to wonder why exactly you're helping us, when you could've easily left us to fend for ourselves."

"Never judge a book by its cover, Michaelis," Jacky warned. "Ever consider that I miss having people to talk to? Everyone else who played this sick, twisted game has died and been claimed by the Ink. I'm only alive because my determination's strong. As for why I'm helping, I want your young master to get his revenge. His family, his childhood, and his happiness was taken from him, and if I could turn back time and give it all back to him and keep it from happening again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I don't like the idea of you taking his soul when his revenge is had, but he can't get that revenge without you. So even if I don't make it out of this place alive, you'd better make sure the two of you do at the very least. If not for my sake, then for the sake of your long-awaited meal."

"Believe me, I do not intend to let my master die in this place with his desire for revenge unfulfilled," the demon replied. "You need not worry about that."

"Good," The young lady said, swinging her legs out of the hammock as she sat up. "The less I have to worry about, the better." She looked up at the Bendy clock on the wall. "You should wake him. It's time we eat and move on from this place." With that, she stood and kicked the cot, waking Grell and William. "C'mon you two," she said. "Time to wake up."

"Aw, but I was sleeping so well!" Grell pouted.

"Speak for yourself," William grumbled, putting his precious glasses back on.

"Young Master, it is time to wake up," Sebastian said quietly, gently shaking his master's shoulder to wake him. "Miss Jacky says it's time to move on."

"Nn." Ciel sighed, not wanting to wake up, but doing so anyway. "Are we home yet?" he asked, big blue-and-purple eyes still soft with sleep.

"I am afraid not, Young Master," Sebastian replied, summoning a cup of hot tea for him. Jacky already knew of him and what he could do, so it did not matter if he made food and drink out of nothing. "Miss Jacky, you've had nothing but that expired bacon soup for far too long, have some tea as well." He summoned a cup for her as well, a small thank-you for helping them. Jacky thanked him in return and drank the steaming tea gratefully.

"What the hell?! The lever to open this gate's missing!" Grell said crankily. "Where the hell is it?"

"Boris will give it to us once he's got his breakfast," Jacky replied, the teacup vanishing once she was done. "Look for cans of bacon soup. There's three of them." She opened the trunk under the hammock and grabbed one of the cans, then led them out of the sleeping area. "Morning, buddy," she said, walking up to Boris and patting his head. "Thanks for letting us all crash here. I know it's usually just me, but thanks for making room for them as well."

Boris said nothing but gave her a thumbs-up and patted her on the shoulder. Grell, eager to get out of the cramped safehouse, quickly found the other two cans. "Can we hurry this along? This ink is itchy! Is there no shower or bath in this place?"

"Sorry, Grell," Jacky replied, taking the other tow cans and dumping it all in a stock pot. "The only liquid in this place is ink. Be glad you've only been trapped here two days at the most. I've been here so many times I've lost track of the days. Believe me, I'd kill for a hot bubble bath and a change of clothes." She removed the steaming pot of bacon soup from the hot eye and poured a bowl of it for Boris. "Here ya go, buddy," she said, handing it to him. The cartoon dog then reached behind the table and brought up a toolbox. Opening it, Jacky took out the lever. "Thanks, pal. Alright guys, it's time to go meet Alice."

She put the lever into its slot and threw it down, opening the door. "Alright, let us see what's out there," William said as everyone, Boris included, left the safehouse. Jacky led them through the inky hallways, pointing out one of the Little Miracle Stations on the way. "If a Searcher, a Butcher Gang member, or Bendy himself sees you, hide in one of these," she said. "They interfere with their powers and provide safety until the danger has passed." When they reached the dark hallway, she didn't hesitate to pick up the weak lantern and lead the way through the darkness, keeping Boris safely by her side. The sound of footsteps running overhead had them all freezing in place, except for Jacky.

"Did you hear that?" Grell asked.

"No, and neither did you," Jacky replied, boredom evident in her voice. "C'mon. Do not waste your energy on fearing what lurks in these halls. We have work to do."

She and Boris continued to lead the way until they reached the next gate. "Another dead-end," William sighed. "I can see no other way through."

"You're up, Boris," Jacky said, handing the wolf the lantern. "Do your thing, buddy." Boris nodded mutely and opened a vent in the wall to crawl through, closing it behind him. A few moments later, the gate rumbled open. "Good job, buddy." the girl praised, leading them into the toy department.

"This place gets bigger and bigger with every chapter," Sebastian murmured, looking up at the Ink Fountain and the giant plushies. Ciel looked like he was getting some inspiration for a new toy line from all this. Jacky just smirked and led them up to the stairs to the next room, which was full of Bendy plushies. "Why is there always something blocking the door?" William groused when he saw a shelf blocking the only way through. "There must be a way through!"

"I'll go throw that switch we walked past," Jacky said as a feminine voice began to hum hauntingly. "The rest of you, unclog the wheels. Once that's done, we should be able to throw the other switch and get through." The males nodded as Jacky dashed out of the room to take care of her task, then began removing the toy bits from the wheels. When the girl returned a moment later, she threw the second switch a couple of times, and the gate rattled out of the way. She walked up to the audio recording and the ink toy, and while someone named Shawn Flynn rambled on about not knowing what to do with the Alice Angel dolls that weren't selling, she turned the ink blob into an Ink Machine figure. She threw the switch again, and the way was cleared. "Get ready, friends," she said. "It's time to meet Alice Angel." She led them through the door into a room filled with Alice Angel merchendice and a large glass window. Above the window was a banner with the phrase: "She's Quite a Gal!"

No sooner were they all in the room did the lights shut off and the little TV's turn on, all displaying the Angel's face. Music began to play, and with a chuckle, the voice from before began to sing.

 _"I'm the cutest little angel sent from above,_  
_And I know just how to swing!_  
_Got a bright little halo, and I'm filled with love,_  
_I'm Alice Angel!_

 _I'm the hit of the party, I'm the belle of the ball,_  
_I'm the toast of every town!_  
_Just one little dance, And I know you'll fall..._  
_I'm Alice Angel!_

 _I ain't no flapper, I'm a classy dish,  
And boy can this girl sing!"_  

A spotlight turned on behind the window, aimed at a dressing room.

_"This gal can grant your every wish,_

_**I'M ALICE**_ **ANGEL!!!"** a raven-haired woman in a little black dress yelled behind the glass, the horror of her half-melted face making the men flinch back as she yelled and smashed the glass. An ominous chuckle filled the air.  _" **I see you there, five new flies in my endless web,** "_ Alice's voice said.  _" **Come along now. Let's see if you're worthy to walk with angels.** "_ The lights came back on, revealing the hole Alice had made in the window. _  
_

". . ."

"Um, why does it suddenly stink in here...?" Jacky asked, not sure she wanted to know.

"... Sorry." Grell muttered, looking extremely sheepish. Sure enough, there was a large stain on his crotch. "I blame the ugly angel."

"Ugh..." their guide groaned, face-palming. She waved her hand, and a fresh pair of trousers materialized from the cyan blue chaos magic. "Here," she said, handing them over. "Just go get changed." With a snap of her fingers, she summoned a trash bin, handing it over as well. "Just put the dirty pair in there when you're done."

Grell nodded gratefully and scurried out of the room to get changed while Sebastian snickered. Though to be honest, he found the malformed angel to be quite horrifying as well. The red reaper returned a moment later, looking relieved not to be in soiled pants anymore. "Thanks, dearie," he said, still looking a bit embarrassed.

"No worries, it happens to the best of us," Jacky replied, taking back the trash bin and vaporizing it, along with its contents.

"That is quite a useful skill," Sebastian said, looking thoughtful. "Why have you not used it before now?"

"Think of a flamethrower made of paper mache," the girl replied. "All that power, but if you try to use it, it burns up. I'm limited by this weak human form. I can only use Cipher's powers sparingly, or I risk destroying myself."

The males all looked rather concerned, but Jacky paid them no mind. "C'mon, we've got an angel to meet," she said, leading them through the new door. After a couple turns, they reached a fork in the road with a sign. The the left was the path of the Demon, and to the right was the path of the Angel. Jacky didn't even pause to consider her path, as she knew which she preferred, and turned left.

"Should we not take the path of the Angel if we're going to meet the angel?" William asked.

"BATIM 101, Mr. Spears, never trust an Angel." Jacky explained, glancing over her shoulder. "The Demon's path may be an inky mess, but it leads to a better weapon later in the chapter, one I've grown quite fond of." She led them into the flooded room, Sebastian once again carrying his master, and the gate for the Angel's path slammed shut. As they waded in deeper, Grell spotted another audio log, and out of curiosity, he pressed play.

 _"There's nothing wrong with dreaming,"_ Joey Drew's voice said jovially.  _"Wishing for the impossible is just human nature. That's how I got started. Just a pencil and a dream. We all want everything without even having to lift a finger. They say you just have to believe._

 _Belief can make you succeed._  
_Belief can make you rich._  
_Belief can make you powerful._

_Why, with enough belief, you can even cheat Death itself._

_Now that... is a beautiful, and positively silly thought."_

"Well, he's right about several things," Jacky admitted. "Humans are both ambitious and lazy creatures. We all want everything, without having to work for it. But simple belief isn't enough to succeed, get rich, grow powerful, or cheat Death. Effort must be exerted, because not all of us have the power to alter reality."

"Well, at least I know my young Master isn't the only human with their head properly on their shoulders," Sebastian said with a chuckle. Jacky grinned knowingly, then led them out of the ink-flooded room and through the halls and doors until another Bendy cutout peeked out at them.

"Boris, good to see you made it," the girl said, having played this game so many times that it didn't scare her anymore. "Did ya find the gent pipe?" Boris nodded and held up the blunt weapon. "Thanks, buddy," she said as she took it and opened the door. After walking through another storage room filled with Bendy toys and clocks, they reached a closed gate with several cables running to the left and the right. "To open this door, we have to throw two levers at once," she explained. "Ciel, Sebastian, stay with Boris. Grell, William, come with me to find the other one."

"Why do you get to be in charge again?" Grell grumbled.

"She is in charge because she's the only one here who knows what's going on," William reminded him. "Now shut up and come along." Personally, he was just glad the human had the good sense not to leave Grell in the toxic presence of that filthy demon.

They followed the cables to the left and down a narrow hallway. At the end of said hallway was a poster for something called the Butcher Gang. Probably another cartoon produced in this hellhole. Just as Jacky was about to throw the lever, a corrupted version of one of the cartoons burst out from behind the poster with a creepy yell and lunged at them. Before Jacky could strike it with the gent pipe, Grell's beloved death scythe roared to life and slashed the toon in half. "Stay away from my guide, you little freak!" the red reaper scolded the corrupted toon as it melted into an ink puddle. "Jacky, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks," the girl replied, throwing the lever. "C'mon, we're almost to the Angel."

The reapers followed her back to where Sebastian and Ciel were waiting with Boris. "Oh, Bassy!" Grell swooned dramatically, throwing himself at the demon. "You simply won't believe it! A hideous ink creature tried to attack Jacky!"

"Well, it obviously did not succeed," Sebastian gritted out, removing the offending reaper from his person. "Conduct yourself with a bit more dignity, will you? I have rejected your advances on more than one occasion. You would do well to take the hint. Furthermore, I am on duty."

"Is it your job that you're so serious about, or the master you work for?" Jacky asked teasingly, an eyebrow cocked playfully, much to Sebastian and Ciel's apparent confusion. "It's worth mentioning that the two of you have a legion of fangirls and fanboys who ship the two of you... romantically."

Ciel's face turned as red as Grell's hair and he began to sputter shocked and appalled protests while Sebastian snickered at the idea, clearly not as openly against it as his master. "Romantically?!" the child earl finally articulated. "I'm barely 13! I'm betrothed! Sebastian is an adult and male!"

"Doesn't stop thousands of hormone-crazed fans from shipping the two of you," Jacky said with a shrug. "More people seem to like the two of you as a couple than you and Lizzie. I'd be lying if I said I don't ship it."

"Do people from your world ship me and Bassy?" Grell asked hopefully.

"You and Sebastian, you and Will, you and Undertaker, you, Will, and Undertaker," Jacky said, naming the various ships, making Grell Fan-Grell.

"Bite your tongue!" Ciel snapped at last, very uncomfortable with where this was going. "I will hear no more of this! I just want to get out of this place and get home!"

"Have it your way," Jacky said with an easy-going shrug and she and Boris led the way. After going through another hallway and down a flight of steps, they reached an elevator. "Everyone pile in," the girl said, getting on. Grell followed her, then Will, then Ciel and Sebastian, with Boris bringing up the rear. She pressed a button on the control panel, and they began to descend.

 _" **You're all so interesting... so different,** "_ Alice said over the intercom.  _" **I have to say, I'm an instant fan. Looks like you've all got a date with an Angel! Come to me now. Level 9. Just follow the screams."**_

"I'm not sure I want to date a crazy broad with a melted face," Grell muttered, receiving a smack on the head from Will's scythe. "Oww! What was that for?!"

"We are on a rickety old elevator in the Angel's domain," Will reminded him. "For the time being, it would be best not to offend her."

"He's got a point," Jacky agreed. "Alice is very temperamental. At this point in time, it'd be stupid to piss her off."

"You've dealt with her before, how do we stay on her good side?" Ciel asked.

"Fetch what she wants quickly," Jacky replied. "Though, no matter how much time we take, she's going to try to kill us at the end of the chapter regardless. In the mean time, just try not to get killed by the various ink monsters."

With that, they slowed to a stop on Level 9, and the gate slid open.  _" **Come on, step out of your cage,** "_ Alice bid them.  _" **There's a whole twisted world out here. Hmhmhmhmhmhm!** "_

"I look forward to her demise," Jacky said as they all got off the elevator. They all followed Boris to the next gate, which had a massive Alice head over it and another "She's Quite a Gal!" banner over it. The gate rattled open, and Boris took off running with Jacky and the males close on his heels.

When they finally caught up to him, they found a depressing sight.

Boris stood before a disemboweled clone of himself, identical to the one on the ground floor from Chapter 1, strapped to an operating table. In fact, the room was full of Boris clones in the same condition. Even a few Butchers had been caught and dissected.

 _" **Look around. It took so many of them to make me so beautiful,** "_ the mad angel said as the group, sans Boris, made their way across the plank-bridge, sounding not the least bit remorseful.  _" **Anything less than perfect was left behind.** "_

 _"I had to do it,"_ a second, similar voice said, sounding helpless.  _"She made me."_

They reached another gate, which opened more smoothly than the last. "Who was that second voice?" Sebastian asked.

"Susie," Jacky said sadly. "In one of my previous runs, I learned that Susie was replaced as the voice of Alice Angel by someone named Allison Pendle. Poor naive fool." They proceeded through the gate and down a twisting hall to find Alice Angel torturing a Piper clone. When they drew near, she stopped, giving the monster a break from his torment.

 _" **Hmm. Now we come to the question..."**_ The mad angel mused.  _" **Do I kill you? Do I tear you apart to my heart's delight? The choices of the beautiful are unbearable! How's a girl to choose?"**  _she chuckled wickedly, then continued.  _" **Take this little freak for instance! He crawled in here, trailing his tainted ink to my door! It could've touched me! It could've**  pulled me back!"_ The two Alices seemed to be fighting for control, as always.  _"Do you know what it's like? Living in the dark puddles? **It's a buzzing, screaming well of voices!** Bits of your mind... swimming... like... like fish in a bowl!  **The first time I was born from its' inky womb, I was a wiggling, pussing, shapeless slug. The second time... well...**_ _It made me an Angel! I will not let the demon touch me again. I'm so close now, so... almost perfect! Haah! **Yes, I will spare you. For now. Better yet... I'll even let you ascend and leave this place. If you will do a few eensey, weensey little favors for me first."**_

"Oh, come on!" Grell whined. "Woman to woman, we both know that there are no such things as little favors!"

Alice grinned, or at least she looked like she did.  ** _"Then we understand each other. Return to the lift, my little errand boys and girls. We have work to do."_**

Jacky was about to turn and lead them away, but Alice changed the script again.  ** _"Oh, and leave the child at the drop box,"_** she instructed.  ** _"The studio is really no place for children, especially one so beautiful._** _It'd be a shame if the Ink Demon got his hands on that pretty face. He'll be safe under my protection."_

"Hahahahahahaha!" Jacky laughed, or well, more like cackled. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You needn't worry for his safety. He has a powerful guardian of his own to protect him." She gestured to Sebastian, who bowed elegantly with his hand over his heart. He allowed his eyes to flash a demonic magenta, letting her see that he was no mere man.

 ** _"A demon."_** the angel hissed.  ** _"And here I though deals with demons were a thing of the past. The last time Jacky came through here it was 2018._** _Then again, his cloths are outdated, even by 1930's standards. **When, exactly, are you from, young man?"**_

"1889, if you must know," Ciel replied.

Alice blinked in surprise.  ** _"The Victorian Era? Now it makes sense."_** she mused, then smiled.  ** _"Ah, now I see. You are characters from that Japanese cartoon Jacky likes so much._** _I didn't think people from other dimensions could access this one. I'd say good luck if and when you return to your world, but your story likely won't have a happy ending. **Go. Before I decide to keep you here so your demon can't collect on your contract."**_

"And that's our cue." Jacky said, dragging the men after her as the gate to Alice's safehouse slammed shut and the sounds of torture resumed.

They returned to the safehouse entrance, and the door shut behind them.  ** _"My machines are hungry. Gather me some spare parts."_** the corrupted angel ordered, and a wrench appeared in the grab-box. Jacky grabbed it without hesitation and headed down the stairs.

"Okay, we need to go up to level K and find three gears," she explained. "If we break up into three teams, it'll go a lot faster."

"That makes sense," Ciel agreed, glad he wasn't being left with the horrid angel.

"Alright, Sebastian and Ciel already make a great team, so Grell and William can be a team. I know this place like the back of my hand. I'll go it alone. We'll meet back here when we've got 'em all." Jacky said, leading the way back to the elevator.

"Wait, that hardly sounds safe," Grell pointed out, looking fabulously perplexed. "You're only armed with a wrench! What are you gonna do if one of those creepy ink creatures attacks you?"

"Beat the crap out of it like I always do, obviously." The teen replied, spinning the wrench. "I haven't survived this place over 400 times by dumb luck, after all. Just do me a favor and try not to die, all of you. I would be greatly disappointed if you did." With that, they boarded the elevator and rode back up to level K, ready to find the gears.

 ** _"There are so few rules to our world now,"_** Alice said as they boarded.  ** _"So little truths. But there is one rule we all know and respect down here: Beware the Ink Demon. Stay out in the open for two long and he will find you. For if you see him, you'd better hide. If you don't, well, I enjoyed our date. So many gorgeous men! Now, let us begin our work."_**

Grell scoffed in offence. "I'll have you know I'm a lady, madame!" he - no,  _she_ snapped. "I should tear you to pieces for-" She was cut of by Jacky slapping her hand over the red reaper's mouth.

"Shut up, Grell," she hissed. "Do you want her to drop the elevator?"

Thankfully, they reached level K quickly, where they immediately were attacked by a single Searcher, who was just as quickly dispatched by a solid wack from Jacky's wrench.  ** _"Have you met him?"_** Alice asked.  ** _"The Ink Demon. They say he hears everything. Every creak of the floor. Every rustle of paper. I wouldn't run so fast if I were you. You never know what will draw him in. Then again, Jacky might not mind another encounter with him!"_** The mad angel chuckled wickedly, and Jacky threw up the middle finger, an annoyed look on her face. She didn't deny it though. After all, the Ink Demon was intriguing.

* * *

(Time skip cos fetch-quests are boring!)

It didn't take long for them to find the three cogs. After all, they were all on the same floor!  ** _"Ahh! That should be plenty,"_** Alice said with a satisfied sigh, as though she'd just finished a wonderful meal.  ** _"Return them to me. And try not to die on the way back."_**

"Would it kill her to say please?" Ciel grumbled petulantly. "Was she not supposed to be an angel?"

"I think she was supposed to be half angel, half demon," Jacky replied, pressing the button to call the elevator. "But her character wasn't very popular due to how conservative the era was. These days, you can find tons of books and movies with interbred beings. She might've been more popular, and the entire cartoon as a whole, if it was released in the 21st Century."

The elevator came up moments later, and they all boarded.  ** _"Sammy said I had talent. He was always a good liar,"_** Alice said as the door closed and they began their short descent.  ** _"Still, he was once a very handsome man. Though not as gorgeous as the ones you've brought with you, Jacky.'_**

"What do you expect?" Jacky replied as the elevator slowed to a stop. "Sammy was a mere human. We've got two reapers, a demon, and the world's most charming imp-lord. I think it'd be an insult if Sammy was half as good-looking as them."

Sebastian couldn't help the smirk on his face. It seemed Jacky was silver-tongued as he was. "Was it that silver tongue that ensnared the demon whose powers you stole?" he asked as they dropped off the gears and the wrench.

"No, it was my desire for power over the multiverse that attracted him," she replied casually. "Ever since I was a mere 8-year-old, I'd dreamed of ruling from a massive space-station with the power to destroy entire worlds with a mere press of a button. When I first encountered my dear William 'Bill' Cipher, that dream had not faded in the least, strengthened by years of being bullied by my peers. So when Bill offered me a place of power by his side, well, I didn't refuse. I give him an army of nightmare beings, I gain a throne. In the end, though, when the time came to take that throne and take over the multiverse, I sided with my newer, kinder friends and erased him from existence. Instead of a throne, I gained his chaos powers, even though this form isn't strong enough to wield them. I admit, I miss him now and again. We were friends for six long years, after all."

It didn't take a genius to hear the fondness she spoke of him with in her voice. "You loved him." William stated, disapproval plain in his tone.

"Ha!" the girl scoffed, her hair flipping as she turned to face them after taking the ink syringe from the grab-box. "Of course I did! He was the first male I'd ever encountered who loved everything about me, from my twisted and disturbing imagination to my lust for power. He made no vulgar remarks about what he would like to do with me, which was far better than what my male peers did. Had I not cared so much about the fate of my friends, I would've gladly ruled the multiverse as his wife and queen!" The nearly mad smile on her face was all too similar to Alois Trancy's, and it was clear she felt no shame in having been attracted to a demon, regardless of how it ended. Then her expression became serious. "However, the friends I had made were worth more to me than a crown and a throne. As much as I would've loved being at the very top of the pyramid, the top can be a lonely place when those dear to you have been turned to tapestries. I believe I made the right choice. Even if my world is far from under my control, I would rather know my friends are alive and well."

None of them really knew how to respond to that as they left to hunt down the Swollen Searchers. William believed she made the right choice in the end. Grell was fan-Grelling over a romance between a demon and a not-so-innocent human. Sebastian thought she'd wasted a perfect opportunity. Ciel was silently glad the plan had failed. Who knows what kind of chaos would've ensued had they succeeded?

* * *

 

They hunted down the Swollen Searchers, then some power cores, cut Bendy cutout, hid from the Ink Demon... and it was only when the four males had crammed themselves inside a Little Miracle Station that they realized Jacky wasn't in there with them. Peering through the slot in the door, they saw the young woman cornered by the Demon, her limbs bound in the same inky webbing that had dragged them all into the game. The Ink Demon cupped her face in one hand, then through her over his shoulder and phased through the wall in an inky portal, the teen giving a sudden shriek of surprise before the portal closed, and she was abruptly silenced.

"JACKY!!" the four of them screamed, spilling out of the Miracle Station. "Sebastian, where is she?!" Ciel demanded. Jacky was their guide. She knew this place like the back of her hand. How were they supposed to get out without her?

Sebastian didn't answer right away. He could still sense her within the cursed studio, but the signature of her soul and her power was changing, becoming something very new and different... something even a being as powerful and ancient as him couldn't understand. "She is still in the studio," he said at last. "But I cannot pinpoint her location. I cannot tell whether she is alive or dead."

Inwardly grieving the apparent loss of their companion and guide, they continued with Alice's endless tasks, fighting off the Butcher Gang and finally collecting the hearts she wanted. None were more upset than Boris, who was shedding tears of ink. After all the runs Jacky had played, he remembered most of them. He knew what was coming every time, and the look of helplessness the girl always had when he was taken by the angel. Now, he'd never see her again.

Alice didn't even seem put off by Jacky's possible death.  ** _"Everyone's luck runs out eventually,"_** she said, her voice holding a shrug.  ** _"I guess this is where hers ran out. However, it seems we've reached the end of my to-do list, my little errand boys. I hope you enjoyed our time together. I'll always treasure it. Return to the lift. It's time to go home."_**

"That's it?" Ciel asked, confused and unsatisfied. "What of Jacky, then? Is there no way to get her back?"

"Young Master, remember, Miss Jacky wanted us to be able to leave this place," Sebastian reminded him. "Even if she could not in the end. Let us fulfill her final wish and leave this inky hell." He steered his reluctant master back to the lift, the visibly saddened Grell and William trailing behind them. The lift door closed once they were all in, and the elevator began to ascend.

 ** _"Have you ever wondered what Heaven is like?"_** Alice asked, and Boris started shaking. He knew what was coming.  ** _"I like to dream it's quite beautiful. A soft valley of green grass, blanketed by a warm sun. I don't think I'll ever get to see it. Are you ready to ascend, my little errand boys? The heavens are waiting."_**

"Wait, does she mean what I think she means?" Grell asked, a look of alarmed confusion on his face, amplified by Boris's cowering. Suddenly, they could hear Alice crying... only it turned into manic, distorted cackling as they rose above level K, and suddenly they were plummeting.

 ** _"Did you really think I'd let you steel from me?!"_** the mad angel demanded furiously.  ** _"Did you really think I'd just let you go?! No, Sebastian, Grell, William and Ciel! I knbow who you are! And I know why you're here! And you will not stop what needs to be done! Now come down, AND BRING ME BACK MY BORIS!! It's the most perfect Boris I've ever seen, and I want it! I need it. I need its insides so I can be beautiful again! Don't you understand? Don't you get it?! GIVE HIM TO ME!! Better yet, I'll take it... once... you're... all... DEAD!!!!"_**

"You'll never be beautiful again, wench!" Grell shrilled back as they fell faster and faster. "Even if you succeed in patching up that mess of a face, you'll always be a hideous monstrosity on the inside!"

Then the elevator crashed hard into the ground who knows how many stories deep, knocking even Sebastian and the Reapers unconscious. Ciel awoke slowly, blearily, to Boris gently shaking him, trying to rouse him. He could hear Alice's eerie humming growing closer, and he saw a slim shadow approaching them. "B... Boris... look out..." he whispered, before the room went dark. The last thing he saw was Boris go flying down the hall, and then he knew no more.


End file.
